Training week · Edition 04 · Archive
Three runs, easy rhythm.
Three easy outings with a day between each, two familiar lifts and an unhurried start on Monday. Let your current routine set the limits, even when that means doing less than the schedule.
Jump to the weekBefore you start
Four rules that outlast any one week.
Use today's baseline
This is a standalone week. Your recent comfortable running frequency, weekly time and longest outing are separate ceilings. Shorten or omit sessions if any ceiling would be exceeded. Earlier editions are an archive, not sessions to catch up on or steps you must complete first.
Keep full sentences comfortable
Every run is easy: around 2-4 out of 10 perceived effort, with 10 maximal. Use comfortable conversation as the main cue. Slow down or walk when hills, conditions or fatigue make talking difficult. Walking breaks count within the listed minutes. There are no hard intervals, strides or fast finishes.
Lift with something left
Choose only familiar movements and resistance you already tolerate. Finish sets with about three comfortable repetitions left. Rest 60-90 seconds between sets, longer if needed. Each 25-minute cap includes five minutes of warm-up, practice sets, rests and transitions. Stop at the cap and leave unfinished sets out.
Leave room to recover
Monday, Wednesday and Saturday have no scheduled training. Normal daily movement is welcome. Persistent soreness or fatigue means shortening or skipping the next session, not squeezing it into a rest day. Stop for pain that changes your movement. No missed workout creates a debt.
19-25 Oct · 3 runs, 2 lifts
The week.
19 Oct
Monday
RestNo running
Recovery
Recovery
Start with an open day
- Why it is here
- An uncommitted start, whether or not you ran over the weekend.
Get this rightKeep ordinary movement comfortable. If the weekend left fatigue, reduce Tuesday rather than trying to compensate today.
20 Oct
Tuesday
2 sessions25 minutes total
Easy run
Run
Twenty-five easy minutes
- The session
- Warm-up: 5 minutes walking or very gentle jogging.
- Main: 15 minutes easy running on a familiar route, with walking breaks whenever needed within that time.
- Cool-down: 5 minutes gentle jogging or walking. Finish without accelerating.
- Effort
- Easy, RPE 2-4 out of 10. Comfortable full-sentence conversation.
- Why it is here
- A short outing with no pace or distance target.
Get this rightIf talking feels strained, slow down or walk. Shorten or skip both today's run and lift if you are still tired from the weekend.
Up to 25 minutes total
Strength
Gym
Strength A: familiar patterns
Squat, hinge, push, pull and trunk control
| Exercise | Sets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bodyweight or goblet squat | 2 x 8 | Use your familiar version and a comfortable depth. Leave about three repetitions in reserve. |
| Glute bridge or light dumbbell Romanian deadlift | 2 x 8 | Choose a movement you already know. Keep resistance familiar and repetitions controlled. |
| Incline push-up or light chest press | 2 x 8 | Use a stable support or familiar equipment. Stop with about three comfortable repetitions left. |
| Seated band or cable row | 2 x 8 | Use a securely anchored band or familiar machine. Pull smoothly without jerking. |
| Dead bug | 1 x 6 each side | Use a comfortable range. End the set before control changes; there is no need to add another set. |
- Warm-up
- Within the cap: 3 minutes easy walking or cycling, then 2 minutes of gentle unloaded squats, hinges and shoulder movements. Add easy practice sets as needed within the same 25 minutes.
- Why it is here
- A brief whole-body session using movements you already tolerate.
Get this rightIf combining sessions, run first and take a breather; lifting later that day is also fine. Rest 60-90 seconds between sets, longer if needed. Omit remaining sets at 25 minutes rather than rushing.
21 Oct
Wednesday
RestNo running
Recovery
Recovery
Let Tuesday settle
- Why it is here
- A day without planned training after the run and lift.
Get this rightThere is no recovery workout to complete. If soreness remains tomorrow, shorten or omit Thursday's run.
22 Oct
Thursday
1 session30 minutes total
Easy run
Run
A conversational half-hour
- The session
- Warm-up: 5 minutes walking or very gentle jogging.
- Main: 20 minutes easy running. Walk hills or take breaks within the allotted time.
- Cool-down: 5 minutes gentle jogging or walking.
- Effort
- Easy, RPE 2-4 out of 10. Full sentences should remain comfortable.
- Why it is here
- A simple midweek outing with the same easy effort as Tuesday.
Get this rightChoose company that lets you chat. Let a faster group go and keep this a comfortable outing.
23 Oct
Friday
1 sessionUp to 25 minutes total
Strength
Gym
Strength B: repeat the familiar
The same familiar full-body patterns as Tuesday
| Exercise | Sets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bodyweight or goblet squat | 2 x 8 | Repeat Tuesday's version with the same or lighter resistance. Reduce to one set if tired. |
| Glute bridge or light dumbbell Romanian deadlift | 2 x 8 | Repeat Tuesday's choice. Leave about three repetitions in reserve and avoid increasing the load. |
| Incline push-up or light chest press | 2 x 8 | Use the same comfortable setup, with smooth repetitions and a margin before failure. |
| Seated band or cable row | 2 x 8 | Use the same or lighter resistance. Rest enough to keep movement controlled. |
| Dead bug | 1 x 6 each side | Repeat your comfortable range. Stop before you lose trunk control. |
- Warm-up
- Within the cap: 3 minutes easy walking or cycling and 2 minutes of gentle unloaded squats, hinges and shoulder movements. Allow for easy practice sets within the same 25 minutes.
- Why it is here
- A second familiar strength session without another run today.
Get this rightReduce or skip this lift if Tuesday's soreness persists or Thursday left fatigue. Rest 60-90 seconds between sets, longer if needed, and stop at 25 minutes. Saturday remains free of scheduled training.
24 Oct
Saturday
RestNo running
Recovery
Recovery
Keep the day open
- Why it is here
- Space after the lift and before Sunday's outing.
Get this rightOrdinary movement is fine. Do not add a shakeout or missed sets. If fatigue carries over, shorten Sunday or rest again.
25 Oct
Sunday
1 session35 minutes total
Long run
Run
Thirty-five minutes, same easy effort
- The session
- Warm-up: 5 minutes walking or very gentle jogging.
- Main: 25 minutes easy running on a familiar route. Walking breaks count within those minutes.
- Cool-down: 5 minutes gentle jogging or walking. No extra loop or fast finish.
- Effort
- Easy, RPE 2-4 out of 10. Comfortable conversation throughout.
- Why it is here
- The week's longest outing, bounded by your recent comfortable duration.
Get this rightThirty-five minutes is a ceiling. Shorten to your usual longest outing when needed, or skip if Friday's soreness persists. Keep conversation comfortable even with friends.
Make it fit
Scale it to your week.
Your usual week is shorter
Try Tuesday 20 minutes, Thursday 20 and Sunday 25, each including 5 minutes to warm up and 5 to cool down. That totals 65 run/walk minutes. Two familiar lifts capped at 25 minutes each make at most 1 hour 55 total. Shorten further or omit a run whenever frequency, weekly time or longest outing would exceed your current comfortable baseline.
You usually do more
You may use this as a lighter week if it suits your routine. There is no need to add a fourth run, faster running or extra lifting. The edition does not prescribe an increase from any previous week or replace your individual training plan.
Strength is less familiar
Keep only the lifting frequency and movements you already tolerate, or omit both lifts. Running alone totals 90 minutes (1 hour 30), or 65 minutes (1 hour 5) for the shorter option. If strength work is new, learn suitable movements separately with qualified instruction before adopting these sessions.
You have missed weeks
Use what is comfortable now, even below the shorter option. Do not catch up on archive editions, double sessions or move missed work onto rest days. This is general guidance, not a rehabilitation plan. Injury or symptoms affecting running need individual advice before following it.
Edition 04
Do it together.
When a new edition is published, it replaces the latest page while this edition stays at its permanent archive URL. The hard session and the long run are both easier in company.
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